GiaQuinta: House Democrats stand ready to help governor pass meaningful bias crimes legislation

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta from Fort Wayne today issued the following statement on efforts to pass a bias crimes bill during the 2019 session of the Indiana General Assembly:

“Indiana House Democrats agree with Governor Holcomb that we need to pass a meaningful bias crimes law this year. We also agree with the Governor that we will not accept any proposal that doesn’t include a list of specific classes of people that would be protected. He has offered two options – his own administration’s employment policy and federal law – that he believes will put Indiana on the list of states that punishes criminal attacks based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. Indiana House Democrats are prepared to add this language back into Senate Bill 12, and we join the Governor in encouraging the people of Indiana to contact their Republican legislators about getting these changes put into the version of the bias crimes bill that will come before the House.”